Ayugi
No. 10.
WlTCIIOHAKT
2U
WITG IIC HAFT.
Uringing down to us upon the bulls of
memory tho echoes of the lumult have
scarcely died uway. So few years liave
elapsed since even our own fair land was
.the seem- of many cruel deeds, tlu natur
al outgrowth of a supcistition so ah
suid. Wart, have sacrificed more and
licttcr lives, perhaps, but many of these
had for their object some grand and noble
end; some down-trodden race to lift up in
to the life nnil light of liberty and freedom,
some shackles of iron to break asunder
and .set the captives free; or some miss,
guided people to instruct ami civilize.
Hut witchcraft had none ofthe.se for its
object. A supcistition, for it can scarcely
be dignified by tho title of belief, spring
ing up into life v, ' 'tout a moment's warn
ing, like wild-lire, none weiu safe from its
ravages The ti nest, the noblest and the
best weic never safe from its attack. Iu
rily ami innocence gave way befoie it
Onward it progiessed, sweeping every
thing befoiu it, and leaving behind it a
pathway stained with blood, and strewn
with the dying. Arising from sonic little
event in the beginning that could easily
have been accounted for by simple eom-mon-NCiise
Miles of reason, the mania
spiead rapidly and in an incredible
short space of time had extended over so
large an aiea as to be beyond human low
er to control it. Quiet homes weic laid
desolate, government was in imminent
danger, peace destroyed the strongest, and
the most independent and fearless wore its
early victims- Hut in our own land, at
least, witchcraft in its power lias passed
aw ay.
There aio however other species of
witchcratt which, while not so disastrous
in their results have nuveilholess exerted,
at many different times, a poweiful influ
ence for evil. Witchcraft in the zenith of
its power and glory never nunc effectual,
ly destroyed all a man's capabilities for
noble action, than the absurd idea of a
perpetual motion machine.
Precious hours and days, yes, even
years, which .should have been spent in
living nobly for life's noblest ends, have
been uselessly fritteicd away, the strong
man's mind becoming weak as a little
child's as the mania grows upon him.
Home, friends, foituue, sometimes honor
and integrity itself, all cast aside while, for
the time being, insane, he persevere in hi?
fruitless elfoi Is. Not only individuals but
nations are often attacked by this same
peace-deslioyer. When a government
piospeious and happy, rushes into the
heat of a long and bloody war, casting
aside and tiampling beneath its feel all
regard for jtist'eo or humanity, and blind
ed by a love for conquest or the ambition
of ils partisan leaders, witchcraft is the
power at work behind ihe throne, and
cruelly does she wield the sceptic.
Hut otteu has ihe world's vculict on our
action been "witchcraft," when really it
was the result of profoundest wisdom.
All great undei takings at (list were
scoffed at and their originators called in
sane. As of old, in the colonial times 01
our I'uritau foicfathers, true courage, cool
heads and stout heaits, fought the battle
bravely and grandly gamed the victory.
Grand and noble truths have been uttered
for which their authors paid as dear a
price as Mary Dyar in the days of Massa
chusetts tyranny. tJieal names weic
stained by the breath of slander, which,
in the progress of greater liberty and in
telligence, have been erased from the ru
brie of fanatics and inserted light among
the aspirants after truth and the martyrs
for libel ty. And a period shall com is
"amid gliding years" when witchcraft
and superstitious beliefs of ever,) soitshall
have passed away, leascn shall sit upon
mo uirone, ami justice and himianily hold
the scepter, while the sunlight of peace
shall shed its kindly beams" over all-.
